Improvement in clasps for supporting stockings



1. s. TREAT.

Clasps for Supporting Stockings, &c.

Patented Dec. 2,1873.

KM W

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JAMES E. TREAT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT iN CLASPS FOR SUPPORTING STOCKlNGS, &c.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 145,074, dated December 52,1873; application filed April 26, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES E. TREAT, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in buckles for stocking-supporters or similar purposes, consisting in the employment of a concave plate having a lip in its lower edge, in combination with a hinged tongue, hinged in its upper end to the concave plate, and also hinged in the middle. The stocking or other fabric that is to be supported is clamped between the lower edge of the tongue and the lip on the concave plate, in a manner as will now be fully shown and described.

On the drawing, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section on the line A B, (shown on Fig. 1,) showing the buckle and tongue locked together. Fig. 3 represents a similar section, showing the buckle in an open position; and Fig. 4 represents a cross-section on the line C D. (Shown on Fig. 1.)

Similar letters refer to similar parts wherever they occur on the drawing.

Heretofore stockings have been supported from awaistbaud by straps or elastics attached to the waistband; the lower ends of the straps have been attached to the stockings by means of a button and button-hole.

My invention is intended to take the place of the button as formerly used, wherefore I construct it as follows:

0. represents the stocking or other fabric that is to be supported, and 11 represents the strap or elastic usually attached to the waistband. 0 isa concave plate or buckle proper,

provided in its lower end with a projecting lip, d, as shown. The tongue-plate is madein two parts, e and f, hinged together at g, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper end of the part 6 is also hinged in a suitable manner to the upper end of the concave plate 0, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As an equivalent for the hinged tongue-plate c f, may be used an elastic springplate made of a continuous piece, and hinged in its upper end to the buckle c. The buckle c is made concave on its inner side, so as to allow room for the hinge g to rest therein when the tongue and buckle are closed together, as shown in Fig. 2.

All that is necessary for the purpose of attaching my improved buckle to stockings or other fabrics is to move the tongue-plate e f out from the plate 0 and lip d, in a position as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and to place the fabric between the tongue f and concave plate 0, after which I place the lower end of the hinged tongue f ox'er the fabric, and press it down firmly in the lip d, in a position as fully shown in Fig. 2. The hinged tongue of remains in a locked position on account of the hinge 9 being moved a little beyond the center line of the supports in each end of the buckle c, as shown in Fig. 2. To unlock the buckle it is only necessary to spread apart the hinged tongue 0 f from the concave plate 0, when the fabric is immediately disconnected from the buckle.

The elastic or strap 1) may be attached to the hinged tongue 0 f, or to the upper end of the plate 0; but in all cases I let the lower end of the said strap project as far as the lower end of the tongue f, so as to prevent the said tongue from chafing the wearer.

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim is-- In combination with the concave plate 0, having a lip, d, in its lower end, the tongue-plate c f, hinged at g, and to the upper end of the plate 0, the whole forming a buckle, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of April, 1873.

JAMES E. TREAT. Witnesses:

ALBAN ANDREN, JOHN R. HEARD. 

